Travel & Touring | WA Things to Do
By: Monique Ceccato
Find that one-off gift that speaks volumes about who made it and where.
In a world where online shopping seems to be the norm, there’s a lot to be said about shopping and supporting local. Small businesses need our spend to thrive, plus there’s no better thrill than finding a unique, handmade product in a local gift store to remind you of your adventures. On your way to or through WA’s regional areas, stop at one of these gift stores to trawl through handmade local wares. Who knows what you might find?
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Mukau
Location: Cowaramup
Good for: Homewares, body-care, art
There’s no missing Mukau (pronounced “moo-cow”) on Cowaramup’s main street. The quaint shopfront plays into the small town’s farm animal identity not only by name but by aesthetics, too. Like a Guernsey cow, the store has an identifiable spattering of spots, making it stand out from the neighbouring institution, the Candy Cow.
Inside, you can browse a treasure trove of homewares, giftware, and handmade beauty products from the Margaret River region. They’ll gift wrap your purchases for a gold coin donation, too, with all proceeds going to the Cowaramup Primary School. Once done downstairs, head upstairs to the art gallery, where local artists exhibit their works. Originals and prints are for sale, as are gift cards and art-printed scarves.
The Mermaid’s Cave
Location: Busselton
Good for: Children’s gifts, earthenware mugs and bowls ocean-themed gifts
Unsurprisingly, The Mermaid’s Cave has a very specific theme going on in store.
Everything on the shelves is inspired by the ocean, from the sterling silver starfish necklaces and turquoise-glazed earthenware mugs to the sparkly, hand-sewn mermaid tails. There are also plenty of ‘under the sea’ kids' books for sale, plush sea creature toys, faux-pearl bracelets, and colourful tees. Even the back room is an underwater extravaganza.
Make your way through the store, and you’ll find the actual ‘mermaid’s cave’, lined floor-to-ceiling with aquariums and a huge collection of rare seashells. Tickets to enter are available from the gift store ($16 for children and $18 for adults).
Toni’s Gift Shop
Location: Kalbarri
Good for: Antiques, local sculpture art
The light industrial area seems an odd place to find a gift store. But that’s exactly where you’ll find Toni’s Gift Shop in Kalbarri. It’s open seven days a week and is just a 3-minute drive from the town centre or the iconic Finlay’s.
The eclectic mix of products housed in the corrugated tin shed store is just as unexpected as the location: think antiques, hand-turned wooden homewares, and in-season local produce. You’ll also find more typical gift store wares like jewellery, body care products, and art. There is a little bit of everything, which always makes for some fun browsing.
Black Stump Gallery
Location: Broome
Good for: Hyper-local artworks, sculpture, carved boab nuts
Part local exhibition space and part gift store, the Black Stump Gallery is one of the best spots in town to pick up a unique piece for your home. You’ll find it down the road from Matso’s Brewery in Old Broome, inside is a bungalow home framed by a line of palms and a white picket fence.
The store curates a collection from both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal artists inspired by the one-of-a-kind landscapes of the Kimberley. Think ocean-themed sculptures made from pieces of driftwood, mixed-medium abstract paintings, and portraits of the sunburnt Broome landscapes.
Margaret River Artisan Store
Location: Margaret River
Good for: Unique clothing, handmade accessories
The Margaret River Artisan Store was born from the success of the Margaret River Makers’ Market. Now, the collective of local creatives has a more permanent home to showcase their wares in Margaret River Central, right by the local IGA.
Expect to find handmade leather bags and belts, hemp plimsoll sneakers, hand-poured candles, and one-off pieces of clothing lining the shelves and racks, all from different artisans in the region. You can meet the makers on any given day, too, as they each take turns running the store.
The Sock Factory
Location: York
Good for: Socks, country fashion
Only one place in all of WA still manufactures wool socks, and it’s in the town of York. The Sock Factory has been around for more than 25 years and has seen many changes, but one thing remains the same: the quality of its products.
Pop in to pick up a pair of plain casual socks, argyle-patterned business socks, or striped sports socks. While you’re there, peruse a range of proudly Australian-made and owned products, from the olive-based skincare range of Vasse Virgin to shoes from Ugg Australia and Rossi. You can even buy an Akubra hat to finish the look from head to toe.
Flour Mill Emporium
Location: York
Good for: Antiques, art, gourmet condiments
Built in 1892, the historic Old York Mill was once a working flour mill, pivotal to the town's growth. It ceased operation in 1967, and now the local landmark is home to a buzzing cafe, larder, and some quaint gift stores.
After coffee and cake at the Old York Cafe, wander into the Flour Mill Emporium, where you’ll find a collection of local artists’ wares — think art, jewellery, and hanging mobiles — and a mixed bag of antique furniture. Visit on a weekend, and you might manage to catch live jazz in the courtyard or one of the free drop-in workshops run by the collective’s artists.
Swan Valley Station
Location: Henley Brook
Good for: Sculptures, outdoor art, pots and plants
Coffee shop, garden centre, sculpture trail, and gift store: what doesn’t Swan Valley Station do?
After a walk around the marron-filled lake to view the art installations, head up to the gift store and garden centre to see how you can replicate something similar (albeit on a smaller scale) at home. There’s a great selection of outdoor art and birdbaths to peruse, and inside, you’ll find everything from handmade local soap to pots for your favourite house plants. Before making any big decisions on backyard centrepieces, mull over your options with a coffee and a muffin at the cafe.
Wholly Local
Location: Denmark
Good for: Cheese and deli meats, take-home meals, earthenware
A gourmet deli full of edible treats is the greatest kind of gift store. Wholly Local is stocked full of ripe cheeses, charcuterie meats, local honey, and preserves.
Many of the products available in store are made in-house — like the popular take-home lasagnas and pies or the ready-made lunches — but you can also find goods from other WA small businesses on the shelves. Stock up on Roogenic’s range of Australian native teas, prepackaged muffin mixes from South Coast Hemp Foods, and deliciously spicy chilli sauces from The Hairy Cow Company. If you’re buying a gift for someone else, throw in a piece from the locally-made pottery collection to round it all out.
Bridgetown Loft
Location: Bridgetown
Good for: Homewares, kids' products, bath and body
As the South Western Highway rolls through Bridgetown, it changes from a high-speed thoroughfare to a quaint small-town shopping strip. Lined with cafes, boutiques, art galleries, and gift stores, it’s a great place to while away a few hours. After sitting down to coffee, cake, and a spot of people-watching at one of the eateries, wander up to Bridgetown Loft (two doors up from IGA) for some retail therapy.
Inside, you’ll find all kinds of handmade goodies, from art-printed tea towels and casual linen dresses to soaps and lavender hand creams. Owner Justine has handpicked each item you see in the store, carefully curating a hyper-local collection.
A Taste of Nannup and Beyond
Location: Nannup
Good for: Books, homewares
If you think Nannup’s clock tower and the corner store beneath it look familiar, you wouldn’t be wrong; the building was used as a location in the 2013 surf film Drift. Outside of its big-screen fame, this iconic spot is home to the long-standing gift store, A Taste of Nannup and Beyond.
The majority of what you see in store has been sourced from local producers in and around the Nannup region. Take, for example, the fridge filled with Cambray Cheese, the shelf of Chestnut Brae syrups and sauces, and a wall full of carved timber artworks. The odd teddy bear and sunhat come from further afield, but the store’s mission is to put local creators front and centre.
Yanchep Lavender Farm
Location: Yanchep
Good for: Skincare, homewares
Fans of floral-scented skin and homecare products needn’t look any further than Yanchep Lavender Farm for their fix. Visit when the property is in bloom (mid-December to February) and lose yourself in the rows of fragrant purple blooms; it’s a feast for the eyes. Then, head inside to Purple Gates Restaurant for a feast of a different kind. It serves a standard range of breakfast and lunch dishes, as well as lavender-flavoured scones, ice cream, and a high tea.
After a bite to eat, wander the gift shop for a lasting memento of your visit. Anything and everything that can be made with the farm’s pressed and distilled lavender is in stock, including soaps, a natural cleaning range, bath bombs, and essential oils.
Bonnet and Entrance Eco Store
Location: Nannup
Good for: Second-hand clothing, eco skincare
Eco-friendly gifts that don’t cost the earth: that’s the Bonnet and Entrance motto. The Nannup store truly lives up to its claim, with everything in store either coming from the local area, on its second (or third or fourth) lease of life, or being made from natural and organic ingredients. In some cases, it’s a combination of a few. For example, the store’s flagship ‘Into Your Skin’ skincare range is made in Nannup from natural ingredients. The collection of pre-loved and vintage clothing and homewares is where the ‘second-hand’ part of the store comes into play. It’s always a thrill sifting through the racks as you never know what you might find.
CASM Gift Shop
Location: Mandurah
Good for: Paintings, ceramics, jewellery
The Contemporary Art Space Mandurah gift store is an easy way to get your hands on artworks from the region. Everything displayed in the space is by artists from Mandurah and the wider Peel region. Smaller-scale framed paintings, jewellery, and sculptures are all on rotation in the seasonal store, available for purchase from Wednesday to Sunday whenever the adjoining exhibition space is activated and open.
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